Bus Service Revisions Begin Saturday, Feb. 6, 2010

Every day, changes occur to King County roads, businesses and communities that affect our transportation network. Many of these changes are due to population growth and economic conditions in the Puget Sound region. That’s why Metro Transit makes revisions to its bus service three times each year. We want to make your bus trips as fast and convenient as possible, and deliver service you can rely on.

This Special Rider Alert summarizes service revisions that begin in early February.

Take your pick of travel modes: bus, train, VanPool, VanShare, Rideshare, Access vans for eligible riders, carpool, Zipcar, bike-and-ride and more. Name the place where you want to go-work, home or play-and choose your time. You’ll find that Metro has a solution for you.

At Metro, we’re working hard to give you easy access to the places you want to go, while helping you save money, control stress and protect the environment. So when we say, “We’ll Get You There,” we mean it!

New Customer Information Office Hours

Service Change Highlights

New Metro Route 156 and Sound Transit Route 566

New Route 156 will replace Route 140 service in McMicken Heights between Southcenter and SeaTac, and will serve the new SeaTac/Airport Station for Sound Transit’s Link light rail service. Route 156 will operate every 30 minutes from 5 am to 9 pm weekdays, and every 60 minutes from 6 am to 9 pm on weekends. Some peak-period trips will extend to the Tukwila Sounder Station. Route 156 will be connected with Route 155 during weekday off-peak periods and on Saturday.

New Sound Transit Route 566 replaces major portions of ST routes 564 and 565 serving Overlake, Bellevue, Renton, Kent and Auburn. Route 566 will serve the Auburn P&R and will operate every 30 minutes all day with more frequent service between Kent and Overlake during the morning and afternoon peak periods.

Metro Route 194 and Sound Transit Routes 564 and 565 Replaced

Link light rail and expanded ST Express bus service will replace Route 194 between Federal Way, SeaTac and downtown Seattle. For alternative service from downtown Seattle to Sea-Tac Airport, board Link in the Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel. For service to Federal Way, board ST routes 577 and 578 westbound on Lenora St just east of 4th Ave or southbound on 2nd Ave at Lenora, Pike, Seneca, Marion, and James streets, and on 2nd Ave Ext S & S Jackson St. ST Route 574 will also operate more frequently between SeaTac and Federal Way including service to the Star Lake and Kent-Des Moines park-and-rides.

New ST Express Route 566 will replace most portions of ST routes 564 and 565. For alternative northbound peak-period service that Route 564 had provided to Overlake from Puyallup or Sumner, board an ST Sounder train to Kent Station and transfer there to new ST Route 566 to Renton, Bellevue and Overlake. During the morning peak-period, South Hill P&R customers will need to board PT Route 495 to Puyallup Station to connect with Sounder. For northbound service midday and during the afternoon peak-period, board ST Route 578 at Puyallup Station to Auburn Station and transfer to new Route 566 there to Kent, Renton, Bellevue and Overlake. Customers traveling to and from South Hill midday will need to transfer to PT Route 402 at Puyallup Station.

For alternative northbound peak-period service that Route 565 had provided to Overlake from the Federal Way Transit Center, board Metro Route 181 or ST Route 578 to Auburn Station and transfer there to new Route 566 to Kent, Renton, Bellevue and Overlake. Another alternative from the Federal Way Transit Center would be to board Metro Route 179 or ST routes 577 and 578 to downtown Seattle and transfer to ST Route 545 to Overlake or ST 550 to Bellevue.

Service Revision at Sea-Tac Airport

Beginning Saturday, Feb 6, Metro routes 140, 174 and 180 will no longer serve the bus stops at the Sea-Tac Airport main terminal. ST Routes 560 and 574 will continue to serve the bus stop at the airport main terminal in both directions. New Route 156 and routes 174, 180 and 574 will serve the SeaTac/Airport Station bus stops at International Blvd/S 176th St.

At the Sea-Tac Airport terminal, Bay 1 will be permanently closed, and Bay 2 will remain in its current location but without a bay designation.

Long Term Construction Reroute for Routes 73, 77 and 373

Due to the reconstruction of the Thornton Creek Bridge on 15th Ave NE, Route 73 will be revised to operate northbound on 12th Ave NE and southbound on Roosevelt Way NE between NE Ravenna Blvd and NE 75th St. Route 73 will operate both directions on Roosevelt Way NE between NE 75th St and NE 112th St, and on Pinehurst Way NE between NE 112th St and NE 115th St. Northbound Route 73 to Jackson Park will serve a new bus stop westbound on NE Ravenna Blvd just west of University Way NE and all bus stops on 12th Ave NE and Roosevelt Way NE north of NE Ravenna Blvd. During this long-term reroute, Route 73 will not serve the bus stop northbound on University Way NE just south of NE Ravenna Blvd. Southbound Route 73 to downtown Seattle will serve all bus stops on Roosevelt Way NE except the bus stop just north of NE Ravenna Blvd.

Due to reconstruction of the Thornton Creek Bridge on 15th Ave NE, Route 77 will be revised to operate both directions on Roosevelt Way NE between NE 80th St and NE 112th, and on Pinehurst Way NE between NE 112th St and NE 115th St. Southbound Route 77 to downtown Seattle will operate on NE 65th St and NE Ravenna Blvd to the I-5 express lanes. Route 77 will make limited stops north of NE 80th St and will make no stops between NE 80th St and downtown Seattle.

Due to the reconstruction of the Thornton Creek Bridge on 15th Ave NE, Route 373 will be revised to operate northbound on 12th Ave NE and southbound on Roosevelt Way NE between NE Ravenna Blvd and NE 75th St. Route 373 will operate both directions on Roosevelt Way NE between NE 75th St and NE 112th St, and on Pinehurst Way NE between NE 112th St and NE 115th St. Northbound Route 373 to Jackson Park will serve the bus stops on 12th Ave NE just north of NE 65th St, on Roosevelt Way NE just north of NE 80th St, NE 90th St, NE 100th St and NE Northgate Way, and on Pinehurst Way NE just north of NE 115th Ave NE. Southbound Route 373 trips to the U-District will serve the bus stops on Pinehurst Way NE just north of NE 115th St and on Roosevelt Way NE just south of NE 102nd St, NE 90th St, NE 79th St and NE 65th St. These reroutes are expected to last most of 2010.